no budget

Do you have a family member with a big home/big backyard? You could always have the wedding at their house and have a small reception.

You can always go to a state park =D. Most of the time they are pretty and cheap.

You can always go to a state park =D. Most of the time they are pretty and cheap.

I would say have a civil ceremony and when your budget is a little better have your dress wedding.....

@Kim congrats on ur marriage

Shop around. We did an outdoor wedding at a gazebo on a river that was $75 to rent. Our minister was $125. Flowers from Kroger for homemade bouquets and small centerpieces were $100 for ten dozen roses. My dress was $200. We had a dinner only reception for 50 people and that was $600 including tip and tax. Photographer was $135 an hour, (we only booked her for one hour for our short 10 minute ceremony and pictures afterward with family and just my husband and I, and that price included the album with a 16x20 canvas print, 2 8x10s, 4 5x7s, and 40 4x6s). I did my own hair to save money. Decorations came from the dollar tree. Buy sheet cakes, they can be made really nice and aren't expensive. Have a cash bar, our wedding was on a Sunday and most people didn't even want a drink except what came included with dinner.

Do Not Be Discouraged. It can be done. I will show you pictures.

You could have it with immediate families only and serve dinner at your home afterward. Or if you're a member of a church, have the ceremony and a cake and punch reception there.

Just like Soon to be Mrs. C said, you could have it at a family members house. You could make pasta for the food since it's pretty cheap and do tons of DIY projects.

Great sugestions.. state park is ideal for location, the park we like costs $800. I don't have family, and fiance's family can't help much either, no one has a yard to use. we have a friend with a garden, another does cakes, uncle can do the service, friends can cater, another taking pictures. can't seam to find a DJ or MC. well be setting up ourselves and hosting our own wedding. for a day that is our day, well be busy hosting it. it would be nice not to have the responsablity. hmmm... theres still time. Mrs D love the pics!! that does help with ideals.

You can just get an iPod doc and I am sure a friend would be happy to introduce you and FH so no MC necessary.

I like all of the ideas posted. You definitely can do it, just just have to come up with a plan.

Girllllll, my budget is $1200.... trying to knock it down from $1500 down to my actual number. Driving me nuts! So far, I'm doing pretty good.

State park/lake, BBQ, 60 guests, iPod DJ, etc. ALOT OF DIY!

Instead of stressing out over trying to put this all together with less money than you thought, why don't you have a civil ceremony (depending on where you live, an independent officiant might be just slightly more expensive than the clerk or JP), invite your closest friends and family to a sweet, intimate dinner party. I'm a big fan of treating a small group of precious people well rather than scrambling to DIY a whole celebration for 100 people (some of whom you won't even remember when you look at the photos in five years; trust me, I know this, lol)

One of my all time fave weddings was the couple, their witnesses (who did her makup and took photos) and me. They rented a ferry out of the South St Seaport and we took a little cruise to the Statue of Liberty. Then they all went to lunch. It was amazing. And cheap. No flowers, no wedding dress, no attendants, no music; not necessary. (They did have an ipod on the boat, which was really fun)

It's all in the way you imagine things.

All great suggestions. Stop stressing out. The only thing worrying you it seems is measuring up to what others have or can afford. Some people can afford a $25,000 wedding and that is great but not everyone can. Just remember what a marriage stems from, the love between two people. Weddings have become so glamorized. I mean they are beautiful, don't get me wrong, but not everyone is going to be on a wedding show or have a $10,000 dress or whatever. Just keep it simple. Good luck to you. Keep us posted.

Great ideals everyone. we don't really have much music or even an Ipod to go that way. we were going to go with hamburgers and hotdogs, soda and tea. maybe even potluck. I started looking at biglots for clearance decorations. well have about 75 people, we just want to celabrate with everyone. it will be very simple. and I hope I can find help in the next 8 months. my dress under $100 shoes $20. we are doing alot of barrowing makeshift etc. but it will work.

this is the 2nd wedding for both of us. my guy didn't have a reception the first go around and his family has never been to their kids wedding. we don't want anything huge.but to have a first dance, a renaissance style dance with the wedding party, toasts from our friends, and to see everyone having a good time is what we would love to have. a room filled with love.

You should check out this book (From your library.)

Plan the Perfect Wedding on a Small Budget: Featuring Real Couples' Weddings on $2,000 to $10,000 Budgets by Alex A. Lluch.

It gave me lots of low-budget ideas.

Hey date twin! Do what you can and don't stress about the rest. Use your friend's garden for the ceremony - garden weddings are so beautiful. If you already have your dress and shoes that's great. Regarding music - you may not have an iPod but Ill just bet one of your friends does - ask them to be your sort-of DJ. Just give that person a list of the music you want in the order that you want.

I recorded all of the music for my sisters wedding and ceremony (it was a home wedding/reception) and it worked very well! I am also making all of my decorations (the kissing balls are my favorite, are inexpensive and fun to make). If you need any ideas or help doing that I am at your service :-)

Keep your chin up - let me know if I can help you in any way. We date twins have to stick together!

We are only having a 1500 budget, I am having the wedding at my parents property, we are also doing a lunch wedding, doing all the diy projects that I can and I'm not having any real flowers because it's cheaper that way. I have cut costs everywhere I can. including decorations I'm going to go on the simple side. If you have a friend or family member that you trust use them for the music and photography again that is if you can. I was lucky and found someone I trust for both. Good luck.

Amanda D., not having real flowers because it is cheaper that way, does that mean that you are having fake ones? I thought that fake ones would be more expensive than real. Just wondering what your plans were.

Mrs D - I'm using fake flowers. I went to a garage sale where the lady was getting too old to do weddings and sold all her stuff plus hobby lobby during their 50% off sale. I made everything myself. 7 bouquets including mine and one to toss, 9 boutonieres, 4 coursages and a kissing ball for less than $75 that price includes the floral tape, ribbon and pins! Way cheaper than real flowers.

Check out Willow Woods Park in the lake arrowhead area. We specialize in cost effective yet beautiful weddings!

Too for the flowers, check out a garden center. The potted plants make nice ceremony decorations. The good news is you can plant them in your yard when you are done!